Looking for a mentor in Wales

[Dawsie]

Hi,
Dont know if this is the appropriate place to post this request or indeed if anyone will be interested, but here goes;

Im really keen to get into this spear fishing and have spent the last few months trawling through this site, Ive also been pool swimming three times a week during the winter to increase my fitness.

But now spring is upon us and before long the summer will be here, so what Im looking for is a mentor to 'show me the ropes'.

Im based in South Wales but would be more than willing to travel to the west or wherever.

Anyone willing or able?

 

[Yeti]

Spearing North Wales

any of the nut bars on here will probably show you the ropes.....local chippy....the best fray bentos pie offers in your local supermarket...the inside of a good pub.......at worst the more unsightly parts of their anatomy whilst flailing around on sharp car park stones in a wetsuit stuck over their heads....

Can't vouch for the spearfishing but you'll have a good laugh along the way! :friday

 

[Radman]

Im not the man for a mentoring role, because frankly im rubbish at spear fishing, but i can help you out with vis reports or even on my very luckiest trips catch reports from pembs area, it could help you decide if the journey down is worth it.

 

[Dawsie]

Excellent! Diolch Radman.

 

[manalive!]

Hold fire a few short weeks, many of the Wales spearos are currently in hibernation, but once the water warms up, here will be a hive of activity. I normally jump in around Anglesey/Llyn, this will be my second season, so I'm far from an expert but I'm sure I could take you out if you want to travel north a bit.

 

[Dawsie]

Hey Manalive, I just might take you up on your offer, thank you.

 

[manalive!]

Sure, no problem. Are you a freediver converting over to spearfishing, what experience do you have?

 

[Dawsie]

Absolute novice!

 

[apneaboy]

You are in my opinion better off getting some experience in what it is you will actually be doing which is Freediving. The spearing will be safer if you understand and have practised the basic principles. And you wont be a liability for others to look after.

The closest place, and fortunately very good too, is Chepstow that do courses

Freedive Courses at SaltFree

Contact them and they can help get you signed up and diving safe.

Good luck, see you in summer when you have joined the ranks

 

[Yeti]

Sound advice!

I should know I'm a flippin liability! .......so which is the dangerous end again??

 

[manalive!]

You are in my opinion better off getting some experience in what it is you will actually be doing which is Freediving. The spearing will be safer if you understand and have practised the basic principles. And you wont be a liability for others to look after.

The closest place, and fortunately very good too, is Chepstow that do courses

Freedive Courses at SaltFree

Contact them and they can help get you signed up and diving safe.

Good luck, see you in summer when you have joined the ranks

What he just said...

 

[Broseidon]

While a course is good for some, most spearing, especially beginner spearing is done in very shallow water.

Let's face it, no-one really needs special training to dive to 3 meters!

Dawsie, do your research, get the right basic equipment and stick to the shallows.

 

[Dawsie]

Thank you all for your opinions so far, I had considered the idea of signing up for a free diving course in Chepstow but I am not quite convinced how much one would learn in a weekend, plus there is the cost £150 - £200 + the hire of a suitable wet suit.

Has anyone been on this weekend course? And if so, was it really worthwhile and money well spent?

 

[manalive!]

Course, definitely. Not only will they teach you how to dive, but how to dive safely. You're going to need to buy a suit anyway if you're going to go spearing, so you can ignore that cost.

 

[piratesteve]

I totally agree with all of the advice so far. you cannot beat doing a freediving course especially if you have had no experience of any diving what so ever, it's best to learn how to do it properly and safely. However before you invest all that time,effort and money it would be good to have a go in the shallows with someone to look after you. I don't profess to be an expert but someone took the time and effort to mentor me so I feel its only right to continue that tradition and I've got some spare kit that might fit???? So i'll help you get started, but its really important to learn to freedive properly cos it can be quite dangerous and you won't want to stay in the shallows for ever.

regards

piratesteve.

 

[manalive!]

Perfect. Stay safe!

 

[DafyddRees]

Hah, I was just about to PM you Dawsie giving you Steves details but it looks like he has changed his name on DB! He helped me out loads when I first started and no doubt will aid you just as much! Thumbs up for SteveP!

 

[Pete wyllt]

I think you've made an excellent choice to get into spearfishing as a hobby/way of life. It can get pricey for gear and i describe it as being somewhere between a dream and a nightmare being in the sea. Since you are a complete beginer i suggest you try spending a bit of time in the sea first, hire or borrow a wetsuit and swim around somewhere shallow with good vis and make sure you like it before you start down the road of forking out for gear or courses. Don't expect to be climbing out of the sea with heaps of fish anytime soon, and if you enjoy the exercise, breath holding and watching the sealife you'll never look back. Catching the fish is just bonus, but hell what a bonus it can be. It'd be good to dive with a buddy once you get into it proper as you can easily get into problems in the sea by yourself. I would recommend you buy the best gear you can afford and if you can't afford good gear yet wait until you can. Anything you take in the sea will get tested and eventually trashed and cheap wetsuits and flippers won't last a whole summer. It's early in the season at the mo, but the sea is warm so its worth getting out there, so far visibility has been hit and miss but by summer you'll get plenty of chances to get out there. As far as doing a course goes, it might be great but i don't anyone who has done a course in freediving or spearfishing. I think if you do one or not you need to get in the sea and get a feel for it. Personally its my faveourite thing in the world, but for some people its a horrible experience getting in the sea and wondering what is in the water around them. Where about are you based? I swim Pembs

 

[Yeti]

............................ its a horrible experience getting in the sea and wondering what is in the water around them................

hahahahaha! you have noooooooo idea! you know who you are!! (sorry! shameless hijack but couldn't resist!! rofl)